I had heard the song "Wonderful Christmas Time" from Paul McCartney before, but it never really seemed to me like a classic Christmas tune. Here in the UK, it is, without a doubt, a holiday staple. It plays in bars, pubs, commercials, and on the radio non-stop. By December 22 I had fallen in love with it, and by December 26 my ears would bleed if I heard it one more time.
Still, not even over-played songs could damper the mood of a fantastic Christmas in Leamington Spa. Our group of internationals made the best of being away from family and friends (some of us for the second year in a row) at such a sentimental time of year. On Christmas Eve, Ridzal hosted the gang at his place for a cozy evening of good food, good drinks, and even better company (this is pretty much the theme of our holiday). I worked the whole day at River Island and after we closed at four, the complete staff of twenty-eight worked our butts off prepping the store for the Boxing Day sale. The whole building was overhauled in anticipation. Luckily, it only took three hours and we were out by seven. After running home for a quick shower I headed down to Ridzal's in anticipation of a leisurely Christmas Eve. He had made a roast chicken with a bunch of great vegetables and saved me a quarter since he knew I was coming from work.
The rest of the gang arrived after attending carols and a service at church and we dined on delicious appetizers - dips as far as the eye could see, warm samosas and deep fried delights, and chocolate and cookies. Like every Christmas, there was no shortage of eating. One of the highlights of the food was the warm mulled wine that Zhenya and Zoey made. It was a warm and sweet brew that went straight to your head. Since we were charting new MAIPR territory (holidays together!) we decided to try some new events instead of sticking to our usual routines. So we played two intense rounds of international/intercultural charades. It was an absolute larf. Not only did the suggestions have to be as neutral as possible, but the inter-group communication made the game extra fun. My favourite of the night had to be Joao's rendition of Lolita in 40 seconds which I was able to guess. Charade magic. As the evening progressed we listened to some Christmas tunes, continued eating, and enjoyed each other's company.
I think I had the latest Christmas Day sleep-in I've ever had. Unlike the mornings of yesteryear when my brother and I would arise at 6am, I slept in until 11am. It was a beautiful morning and the sun streamed through the windows. I made a wonderful breakfast while Tory slept and Zoey headed to Zhenya and Joce's to make a dish for the Christmas dinner. After breakfast I prepped a broccoli dish for later and got together my secret santa present. At 3pm we all headed to Courtney and Jamal's for Christmas Day festivities. Ridzal had cooked a delicious lamb roast which was enjoyed with a plethora of wonderful Christmas dishes. Honestly, the food was fantastic and filled the length of the buffet table. We partook in traditional British Christmas crackers (complete with paper hats) and finished the meal with Christmas pudding drizzled in brandy cream. After dinner we shared a few drinks and the games continued. Zhenya introduced a great group game called Mafia where the participants are killed off by secret assailants (I was part of the mafia twice and was never caught). I also suggested the Celebrity Heads game which went over well. There were a few rounds of Twister late late late into the night, and the finale was some fireworks set off in the park opposite the house that Jamal got for Christmas. My secret santa was Tory who I got some pretty socks, a 2010 day planner, and some chocolates. Zoey had me and I received a shirt from Top Man (she knows me to o well). It was a fantastic day. While I missed family back home, hanging with the MAIPR crew made for a fantastic alternative. I will remember it always.
Boxing Day was really busy at River Island (as you'd expect). We had some of the best deals on the Leamington Parade so the people just kept coming. Luckily, I wasn't on cash desk and could bop around the store all day. The busyness also made the time fly by. It wasn't as bad a day as I expected. I'm now back to work and getting ready to vacate Leamington, as well as completing the dissertation.
I fly home in approximately three weeks. I'm thrilled and terrified at the same time. SO much to do before then, and one more Tunisian adventure to be had.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Paul McCartney, paper hats, and pudding drowning in brandy cream - a British Christmas to remember.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Keith's Holiday Rota.doc
I really haven't had an inch to maneuver any blog time into my schedule of the past few days. It's a right shame, but I've been jam packed with Christmas commitments. Not only has work and social events snatched up my days, but they've made it impossible to get any free time in. I am thankful, however, of two things: that the social events have been really fun and uplifting, and that it means the weeks of 'work' are flying by en route to having no more commitments, the ability to travel, and the return home.
In the UK, they call work schedules and job lists 'rotas'. I figure this is short for rotation. If I'm looking for my weekly hours at work, I check the ROTA. If I had to sign in at work, I would do it on the ROTA. To see where I am working each day, I check the ROTA. For today's blog post, I will be giving you a description of what my own personal rota looked like from the last few days as a way of catching you up. It may not be poetic and whimsical, but I'm severely lacking inspiration during this busy time.
THURSDAY
1100 - 1230: Gym
1230 - 1630: Work @ River Island
1800 - 2400: On Thursday evening, Courtney invited Adam and I over and prepared a wonderful dinner. She roasted a whole chicken and made some pumpkin pie with the left over mix from Thanksgiving. It was a wonderful gesture (to go along with a wonderful meal) and great to spend some time with two of the closer friends I've made in the program. We talked about a wide range of topics during dinner, had a few beers, and then went to the local around the corner. There, Bec and Jamal met us for a few cheeky pints. I called it an early night since I had work the next morning.
FRIDAY
0900-1800: Work @ River Island
1800 - 1900: Train to Birmingham
1900-0200: There was a MAIPR program finale dinner organized in Birmingham on Friday evening. I arrived just a wee bit late. It was wonderful to enter the restaurant and see a table full of familiar faces. I saw some fellow students I hadn't seen recently, as well as Janelle, Milija, and their partners. The restaurant served some really delicious Thai food. It was a bittersweet end to the course (even though there will be a few final 'unofficial' get togethers in the next two weeks) and it was sad to see Janelle head back to California. She has been a really inspiring professor to work with. After the dinner, we went out for a few pints in the city. We managed to nab the last train back to Leamington Spa (barely).
SATURDAY
0900 - 1800: Work @ River Island
1800 - 2100: Dinner
2100 - 0200: It was Hetta's last night in Leamington Spa with the whole gang so we hit the town. She hosted people over to her place earlier in the evening. It was a Moulin Rouge theme. Unfortunately, with so many of us busy, tired, and overworked, it turned out just to be the usual drinks and socializing (not much Kidman antics). After drinks with the girls we headed out to Moo which is one of my favourite spots in the city. Never heard of it? That's because we don't go as often as we should. The bar played really great tunes and we danced the night away until the glaring lights came up. Uber fun.
SUNDAY
1000 - 1200: Train from Leamington to London
1200 - 2200: London with Jono! I jetted out of good old Leamington Spa on Sunday to meet up with one of my good friends Jonathan Heppner who is on a three week tour of Europe (intelligence reconnaissance I think...). It was great to see him emerge from the tube with sunglasses on and a big smile. We went to Brick Lane market to check out the grounds there. We walked through some of the cozy bo-ho streets and had lunch at a place called Leon which Em and I had eaten at previous. Afterwards, we headed to South Bank (over the Millennium Bridge) and walked around taking in the sights. We jumped into the Globe theatre, the beautiful cathedral in the area (where they encouraged us to stay for carols), and then to a warm pub for a Sunday roast. Over three pints we caught up about life in Toronto, what Queen's friends are up to, and the state of the world. It was a wonderful day-trip away from home spent with an old friend. I bid adieu to Jono at Baker Street station, but I'm certain I'll see him in Toronto in the next two months.
MONDAY
0900 - 1800: Work @ River Island
1800-2000: Gym
2000 - 2300: Ridzal's birthday. A friend in the course from Singapore was celebrating his birthday last evening so we joined him for some celebratory pints. It was the fifth consecutive holiday social in a row, but it was important to acknowledge his special day. I'm sure the revelry will carry over into Christmas.
Thank you to the great friends that have sent me Christmas cards (you know who you are). I am thankful that they thought of me this holiday season. It's going to come super quick, but I'll be spending the holidays with the MAIPR group with great food, a few drinks, and some Secret Santa. It's not the family Christmas I wish for, but it'll be unique in its own way.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: The holidays are a BUSY time of year (see above), but make no mistake, I will stop to remember what means most to me this Christmas. You should too.
In the UK, they call work schedules and job lists 'rotas'. I figure this is short for rotation. If I'm looking for my weekly hours at work, I check the ROTA. If I had to sign in at work, I would do it on the ROTA. To see where I am working each day, I check the ROTA. For today's blog post, I will be giving you a description of what my own personal rota looked like from the last few days as a way of catching you up. It may not be poetic and whimsical, but I'm severely lacking inspiration during this busy time.
THURSDAY
1100 - 1230: Gym
1230 - 1630: Work @ River Island
1800 - 2400: On Thursday evening, Courtney invited Adam and I over and prepared a wonderful dinner. She roasted a whole chicken and made some pumpkin pie with the left over mix from Thanksgiving. It was a wonderful gesture (to go along with a wonderful meal) and great to spend some time with two of the closer friends I've made in the program. We talked about a wide range of topics during dinner, had a few beers, and then went to the local around the corner. There, Bec and Jamal met us for a few cheeky pints. I called it an early night since I had work the next morning.
FRIDAY
0900-1800: Work @ River Island
1800 - 1900: Train to Birmingham
1900-0200: There was a MAIPR program finale dinner organized in Birmingham on Friday evening. I arrived just a wee bit late. It was wonderful to enter the restaurant and see a table full of familiar faces. I saw some fellow students I hadn't seen recently, as well as Janelle, Milija, and their partners. The restaurant served some really delicious Thai food. It was a bittersweet end to the course (even though there will be a few final 'unofficial' get togethers in the next two weeks) and it was sad to see Janelle head back to California. She has been a really inspiring professor to work with. After the dinner, we went out for a few pints in the city. We managed to nab the last train back to Leamington Spa (barely).
SATURDAY
0900 - 1800: Work @ River Island
1800 - 2100: Dinner
2100 - 0200: It was Hetta's last night in Leamington Spa with the whole gang so we hit the town. She hosted people over to her place earlier in the evening. It was a Moulin Rouge theme. Unfortunately, with so many of us busy, tired, and overworked, it turned out just to be the usual drinks and socializing (not much Kidman antics). After drinks with the girls we headed out to Moo which is one of my favourite spots in the city. Never heard of it? That's because we don't go as often as we should. The bar played really great tunes and we danced the night away until the glaring lights came up. Uber fun.
SUNDAY
1000 - 1200: Train from Leamington to London
1200 - 2200: London with Jono! I jetted out of good old Leamington Spa on Sunday to meet up with one of my good friends Jonathan Heppner who is on a three week tour of Europe (intelligence reconnaissance I think...). It was great to see him emerge from the tube with sunglasses on and a big smile. We went to Brick Lane market to check out the grounds there. We walked through some of the cozy bo-ho streets and had lunch at a place called Leon which Em and I had eaten at previous. Afterwards, we headed to South Bank (over the Millennium Bridge) and walked around taking in the sights. We jumped into the Globe theatre, the beautiful cathedral in the area (where they encouraged us to stay for carols), and then to a warm pub for a Sunday roast. Over three pints we caught up about life in Toronto, what Queen's friends are up to, and the state of the world. It was a wonderful day-trip away from home spent with an old friend. I bid adieu to Jono at Baker Street station, but I'm certain I'll see him in Toronto in the next two months.
MONDAY
0900 - 1800: Work @ River Island
1800-2000: Gym
2000 - 2300: Ridzal's birthday. A friend in the course from Singapore was celebrating his birthday last evening so we joined him for some celebratory pints. It was the fifth consecutive holiday social in a row, but it was important to acknowledge his special day. I'm sure the revelry will carry over into Christmas.
Thank you to the great friends that have sent me Christmas cards (you know who you are). I am thankful that they thought of me this holiday season. It's going to come super quick, but I'll be spending the holidays with the MAIPR group with great food, a few drinks, and some Secret Santa. It's not the family Christmas I wish for, but it'll be unique in its own way.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: The holidays are a BUSY time of year (see above), but make no mistake, I will stop to remember what means most to me this Christmas. You should too.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Bring on the Contenders.doc
So I drop-kicked that cold faster than you can say vitamin C. I think it was the combination of working 30+ hours last week with the sudden drop in temperature (which for here amounts to a lot of frost). All it turned out to be was three days of stuffiness and the mild headache. I'd like to think I willed the thing away, since I need every once of strength to get through the next four weeks of work, but I'm sure it just took its course.
This week has been pretty low-key thus far. I've put my head to the ground and worked through a whole bunch of little issues that didn't get the attention they deserved last week. These challenges, like the cold, are my opponents in the coming weeks. I'm hopping to go toe-to-toe with each of them and rack up some KO's.
1. Revision Shmision. Well, it's official. I've received my feedback from my two supervisors and now have a clear path towards finishing the dissertation. As was the same with Milija's feedback, Kati was really complimentary and excited about the work I have completed thus far. She suggested some really key points to consider that will inevitably make the paper stronger. At this point the notes aren't too difficult to integrate, but it just feels a bit tedious to be wading through all of these arguments and trying to find new interventions. I think I've 'added' all of the expansion that both supers have asked for - or least I am hoping. The beast now clocks in, are you ready for this, at 150 pages with bibliography. I mean, staggering. I stare into this monstrosity and wonder where and how it came to be. It feels especially nice to have a table of contents for something I'v written.
2. Load up the truck, we're moving out. I've moved a few times in my life, with large scale furniture and what-not, but this one in theory should be pretty simple. If I trim the baggage I intend to I should only have two pieces of luggage to take with me out of Nova Lodge. That being said, the hassles are starting to mount. The housing company would like us to have the carpets cleaned as required in the lease. I had originally planned to aid the girls in doing a bang up job of the carpets and telling the company we had them done, but they want the receipts attached to the move out papers. Burn. My next idea was to give the carpet company 20 pounds to make us a fake receipt, but I've thought better of it (I think what goes a wee bit too far in terms of deception). But I mean, we've only been here for four months. The carpets look fine. I think the compromise will be that they'll do the living room and hallway but not the bedrooms. We also have to cancel the cable and pay the bills into the future, as well as pray and hope our secure deposit is returning in one lump sum. It's just a lot of crappy details to sort out. It's not going to be as easy as wheeling my two suitcases off into the sunset.
3. British Bureaucracy. I applied for a National Insurance Number four weeks ago. Sounds important? Yes. It's the number that allows me to get paid as a working employee in the UK. River Island isn't able to process my pay cheques until they have this number. And get this - they only pay their employees ONCE A MONTH in a big lump sum. What is this organized crime? No, in fact, I bet organized crime does it a little better (a little here, a little there). Cement shoes can be expensive. I called the office three times yesterday and after three reconnections, I was foisted upon Sandy who was delightful. She assured me that my NIN number (Trent Resnor fan club?) is in the mail. Success. I am looking forward to my monthly payment immensely.
4. Social, what social? Is there something social going on? I've felt like a hermit the past few days. A 30 hour work week plus all these extra details have kept me focused. But thankfully there are a few wonderful things to look forward to. Courtney has invited me over tonight for dinner - roast chicken and pumpkin pie. How on Earth could I say no to that? And on Friday we're going to have a final program dinner in Birmingham. It promises to be a little bittersweet, but I'm looking forward to sharing a last meal with the larger group. And finally, on Sunday I have a day of merriment scheduled with Mr. Jonathan Heppner in Europe. He tells me the Convertable Jono to GBP was just too great to pass up so he's over in Europe for a few weeks. Because of the busy work schedule I won't be able to spend an extended visit with him, but I'm looking forward to bopping around London for the day and taking in the sights.
5. There is life after Europe? Add to all these details my affinity for forward thinking (I curse it sometimes), and I'm running on all cylinders. I've got my fingers in a number of Canada based projects - finding an apartment and the early job search. Admittedly it's the last thing on my list most times, but I've done some leg work on getting settled once moving back. I don't want to divulge too many details just yet (in case I jinx anything) but applications for apartments are hard to complete from over here. I also am not optimistic about landing a job from here for February, but will work on and try to send off my resume in the coming weeks. "Sorry, can't come in for that interview, having my carpets cleaned in the UK"
Doc's Prescription of the Day: From one Doc to another, I must join the Jays fans back home in Canada (those that are left) and lament the loss of the best starting pitcher in baseball. I remember watching Halladay's second every start as a Blue Jay against, I think, the Detroit Tigers when he took a DEEP into the ninth. Early signs that he would blossom into the stoic franchise leader that everyone admired so much.
This week has been pretty low-key thus far. I've put my head to the ground and worked through a whole bunch of little issues that didn't get the attention they deserved last week. These challenges, like the cold, are my opponents in the coming weeks. I'm hopping to go toe-to-toe with each of them and rack up some KO's.
1. Revision Shmision. Well, it's official. I've received my feedback from my two supervisors and now have a clear path towards finishing the dissertation. As was the same with Milija's feedback, Kati was really complimentary and excited about the work I have completed thus far. She suggested some really key points to consider that will inevitably make the paper stronger. At this point the notes aren't too difficult to integrate, but it just feels a bit tedious to be wading through all of these arguments and trying to find new interventions. I think I've 'added' all of the expansion that both supers have asked for - or least I am hoping. The beast now clocks in, are you ready for this, at 150 pages with bibliography. I mean, staggering. I stare into this monstrosity and wonder where and how it came to be. It feels especially nice to have a table of contents for something I'v written.
2. Load up the truck, we're moving out. I've moved a few times in my life, with large scale furniture and what-not, but this one in theory should be pretty simple. If I trim the baggage I intend to I should only have two pieces of luggage to take with me out of Nova Lodge. That being said, the hassles are starting to mount. The housing company would like us to have the carpets cleaned as required in the lease. I had originally planned to aid the girls in doing a bang up job of the carpets and telling the company we had them done, but they want the receipts attached to the move out papers. Burn. My next idea was to give the carpet company 20 pounds to make us a fake receipt, but I've thought better of it (I think what goes a wee bit too far in terms of deception). But I mean, we've only been here for four months. The carpets look fine. I think the compromise will be that they'll do the living room and hallway but not the bedrooms. We also have to cancel the cable and pay the bills into the future, as well as pray and hope our secure deposit is returning in one lump sum. It's just a lot of crappy details to sort out. It's not going to be as easy as wheeling my two suitcases off into the sunset.
3. British Bureaucracy. I applied for a National Insurance Number four weeks ago. Sounds important? Yes. It's the number that allows me to get paid as a working employee in the UK. River Island isn't able to process my pay cheques until they have this number. And get this - they only pay their employees ONCE A MONTH in a big lump sum. What is this organized crime? No, in fact, I bet organized crime does it a little better (a little here, a little there). Cement shoes can be expensive. I called the office three times yesterday and after three reconnections, I was foisted upon Sandy who was delightful. She assured me that my NIN number (Trent Resnor fan club?) is in the mail. Success. I am looking forward to my monthly payment immensely.
4. Social, what social? Is there something social going on? I've felt like a hermit the past few days. A 30 hour work week plus all these extra details have kept me focused. But thankfully there are a few wonderful things to look forward to. Courtney has invited me over tonight for dinner - roast chicken and pumpkin pie. How on Earth could I say no to that? And on Friday we're going to have a final program dinner in Birmingham. It promises to be a little bittersweet, but I'm looking forward to sharing a last meal with the larger group. And finally, on Sunday I have a day of merriment scheduled with Mr. Jonathan Heppner in Europe. He tells me the Convertable Jono to GBP was just too great to pass up so he's over in Europe for a few weeks. Because of the busy work schedule I won't be able to spend an extended visit with him, but I'm looking forward to bopping around London for the day and taking in the sights.
5. There is life after Europe? Add to all these details my affinity for forward thinking (I curse it sometimes), and I'm running on all cylinders. I've got my fingers in a number of Canada based projects - finding an apartment and the early job search. Admittedly it's the last thing on my list most times, but I've done some leg work on getting settled once moving back. I don't want to divulge too many details just yet (in case I jinx anything) but applications for apartments are hard to complete from over here. I also am not optimistic about landing a job from here for February, but will work on and try to send off my resume in the coming weeks. "Sorry, can't come in for that interview, having my carpets cleaned in the UK"
Doc's Prescription of the Day: From one Doc to another, I must join the Jays fans back home in Canada (those that are left) and lament the loss of the best starting pitcher in baseball. I remember watching Halladay's second every start as a Blue Jay against, I think, the Detroit Tigers when he took a DEEP into the ninth. Early signs that he would blossom into the stoic franchise leader that everyone admired so much.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Under the Weather.doc
I've been feeling a bit sickly this weekend. For anyone who knows me well you'll know how seldom this tends to happen. I feel sick (cold/flu like symptoms) about once every year and a half. I'm blessed with a really strong immune system so it seems. But Saturday I woke up with an incredibly stuffy nose and a headache I just couldn't shake. Thankfully, I had decided to devote the weekend to dissertation revision so I wasn't planning on leaving the flat for much anyways. Item number 28 on the list of 100 things I am looking forward to back in Canada: indulging in some Timmy Ho's treats (double chocolate chip cookies) when feeling under the weather.
It got me thinking though. Where the heck does the phrase "under the weather" come from? I did a bit of research (one of my marketable resume skills) and I found that it's a term originating from the British Navy. When a sailor was ill, he was kept below decks, and thus, under weather. The last time I posted a grammatical tidbit I received a correction from Doc Walker, so let us see if this one goes unscathed. It makes sense to me. Whenever I feel sick I just want to crawl under the covers (away from everything including the weather) so the phrase seems to fit. This evening I marched out of the house to head to the gym. I hear a 30 minute sauna does wonders for a cold. But low and behold, the one time in the four months I've been going they closed early for some sort of repair. It just wasn't my weekend.
In any event, I didn't let the sick feelings get me down. I managed to add 2000 words more to the dissertation in response to supervisor feedback. At this point it's really difficult to dig up passages written two months ago, but I'm trying to just power through and overwrite it before going back with a machete to chop and clip it into shape. I have to work out submission dates later on this evening, but I'm hoping to part with this thing in two weeks. I'll be happy to say bon voyage to my little project.
Thursday evening we had a bit of a surprise party for Courtney's birthday. We had all planned to pretend it was just a regular get together like our usual MAIPR jams (since it was the night before her birthday). Around 10pm we surprised her with a cake made by our resident expert Bec, and some merriment. There have been an abundance of birthdays in the first term here in Leamington, so it was nice to share in yet another. Courtney has been a great friend in the program this past year, and like Bec, Tory, and Zoey, it will be a sad goodbye in the coming weeks. Thankfully we all have a unique holiday celebration to look forward to later in the month. It may not be the homey Thorold Christmas I'm use to, but I'm sure it will carry its own memorable moments.
I've made a to-do list that puts the last five weeks of Europe in perspective. It's a lengthy list, but I'm really looking forward to the one week of travel at the end of my hard work as a reward for the busy schedule. I cannot believe how fast everything is coming. I'm commissioning just about everyone I know to help me decide just how I should be spending this last week. These are my two options:
A) Head to Amsterdam for three nights to see some friends one final time and then go somewhere like Austra, Switzerland, or Hungary.
B) Head to Tunisia in Northern Africa for a week (where the temperatures are 18C) and chill on a beach at an all inclusive.
Both would cost about the same amount of money, and because everyone is heading their own way I'd likely be traveling on my own. Thoughts?
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I'm not a happy sicky - it impedes progress too much. It's a reminder that we take tip-top health for granted.
It got me thinking though. Where the heck does the phrase "under the weather" come from? I did a bit of research (one of my marketable resume skills) and I found that it's a term originating from the British Navy. When a sailor was ill, he was kept below decks, and thus, under weather. The last time I posted a grammatical tidbit I received a correction from Doc Walker, so let us see if this one goes unscathed. It makes sense to me. Whenever I feel sick I just want to crawl under the covers (away from everything including the weather) so the phrase seems to fit. This evening I marched out of the house to head to the gym. I hear a 30 minute sauna does wonders for a cold. But low and behold, the one time in the four months I've been going they closed early for some sort of repair. It just wasn't my weekend.
In any event, I didn't let the sick feelings get me down. I managed to add 2000 words more to the dissertation in response to supervisor feedback. At this point it's really difficult to dig up passages written two months ago, but I'm trying to just power through and overwrite it before going back with a machete to chop and clip it into shape. I have to work out submission dates later on this evening, but I'm hoping to part with this thing in two weeks. I'll be happy to say bon voyage to my little project.
Thursday evening we had a bit of a surprise party for Courtney's birthday. We had all planned to pretend it was just a regular get together like our usual MAIPR jams (since it was the night before her birthday). Around 10pm we surprised her with a cake made by our resident expert Bec, and some merriment. There have been an abundance of birthdays in the first term here in Leamington, so it was nice to share in yet another. Courtney has been a great friend in the program this past year, and like Bec, Tory, and Zoey, it will be a sad goodbye in the coming weeks. Thankfully we all have a unique holiday celebration to look forward to later in the month. It may not be the homey Thorold Christmas I'm use to, but I'm sure it will carry its own memorable moments.
I've made a to-do list that puts the last five weeks of Europe in perspective. It's a lengthy list, but I'm really looking forward to the one week of travel at the end of my hard work as a reward for the busy schedule. I cannot believe how fast everything is coming. I'm commissioning just about everyone I know to help me decide just how I should be spending this last week. These are my two options:
A) Head to Amsterdam for three nights to see some friends one final time and then go somewhere like Austra, Switzerland, or Hungary.
B) Head to Tunisia in Northern Africa for a week (where the temperatures are 18C) and chill on a beach at an all inclusive.
Both would cost about the same amount of money, and because everyone is heading their own way I'd likely be traveling on my own. Thoughts?
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I'm not a happy sicky - it impedes progress too much. It's a reminder that we take tip-top health for granted.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Working 9 to 5.doc
My good friend Erin Schachter is fond of singing the Dolly Parton tune at karaoke (among a host of other classics). It's good that Erin has so much vocal training to be able to pull it off. Item number 27 on the list of 100 things I am looking forward to back in Canada: karaoke with friends.
I really am working 9 -5 for the most part with 30 hours this week devoted to River Island. Oddly enough, the longest days on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday seem to fly by quickly while I'm always waiting for my short shifts on Tuesday and Thursday to be over. Yesterday was the FIRST day in the two and a half weeks I've been there where I felt like every job and every task was doable. I think yesterday marked the point where I turned the corner and now know how to complete just about every requirement quickly and efficiently. Admittedly, when I'm the product guy on these long days I don't have to interact with customers much and all and all am the store gopher. It means that I can work independently, and I that I traverse the store's three flights of stairs at least forty times a day. It's not too bad at all.
Sunday was the official submission date for the first draft of everyone's dissertation. After heading off the train in Leamington I joined the group at one of my favourite pubs in Leamington, Benjamin Satchwells. It was great to see everyone (for the most part) jovial and less stressed. It has been a bit of a trying time for most of us in tackling these beasts so it was good to relax and revel in the reality that they will be sign, sealed, and delivered in less than four weeks. We shared a few pints (where else in the world can you get a cold pint of Guinness for 2 pounds 30) and indulged in the Sunday roast. That evening a few of the program mates hit the town hard to celebrate, but I stayed in to gear up for my first 9 - 5.
This next phase of things until the holidays is pretty standard: work weekdays at the store and spending the weekends in full revision mode. Right now I've booked Saturday and Sunday for delving into the document and expanding, cutting, and editing the work I currently have. Thankfully, the demands of me in regards to the dissertation are not insurmountable. There are a lot of small points that need attention, but nothing that keeps me up at night. It means that the next three weeks I will always have something to be doing (and will be working 50 hours a week) but it means that December is flying by.
This doesn't mean to say there isn't time to relax! Courtney and I went to the movies last night to take advantage of the 2-4-1 deal of which we're so fond. We saw 2012. It was a treat to watch things blow up on the big screen. You can't really be bothered by the implausibility of it all with disaster films, but there were a few plot moments that made me roll my eyes. All in all though, I'm a huge "end-of-the-world" film fan. Courtney made a delicious peanut stir fry before the film that reminded me of great food in Amsterdam. After returning home from the film, Tory and I shared a glass of wine and caught up (I feel like I haven't been home much this week). We looked through old MAIPR photos from Warwick and summer school and I couldn't help much feel a first pang of nostalgia for the crazy, zany program and its students which I will be saying goodbye to in four weeks. The reality is starting to set in, and it's going to hard to say goodbye to the sixteen months of brilliant uncertainty that has been my European adventure.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Congrats to my fellow blogger Miss Emily Hyland Hincks on the 136 chapters of her captivating adventures in France and beyond.
I really am working 9 -5 for the most part with 30 hours this week devoted to River Island. Oddly enough, the longest days on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday seem to fly by quickly while I'm always waiting for my short shifts on Tuesday and Thursday to be over. Yesterday was the FIRST day in the two and a half weeks I've been there where I felt like every job and every task was doable. I think yesterday marked the point where I turned the corner and now know how to complete just about every requirement quickly and efficiently. Admittedly, when I'm the product guy on these long days I don't have to interact with customers much and all and all am the store gopher. It means that I can work independently, and I that I traverse the store's three flights of stairs at least forty times a day. It's not too bad at all.
Sunday was the official submission date for the first draft of everyone's dissertation. After heading off the train in Leamington I joined the group at one of my favourite pubs in Leamington, Benjamin Satchwells. It was great to see everyone (for the most part) jovial and less stressed. It has been a bit of a trying time for most of us in tackling these beasts so it was good to relax and revel in the reality that they will be sign, sealed, and delivered in less than four weeks. We shared a few pints (where else in the world can you get a cold pint of Guinness for 2 pounds 30) and indulged in the Sunday roast. That evening a few of the program mates hit the town hard to celebrate, but I stayed in to gear up for my first 9 - 5.
This next phase of things until the holidays is pretty standard: work weekdays at the store and spending the weekends in full revision mode. Right now I've booked Saturday and Sunday for delving into the document and expanding, cutting, and editing the work I currently have. Thankfully, the demands of me in regards to the dissertation are not insurmountable. There are a lot of small points that need attention, but nothing that keeps me up at night. It means that the next three weeks I will always have something to be doing (and will be working 50 hours a week) but it means that December is flying by.
This doesn't mean to say there isn't time to relax! Courtney and I went to the movies last night to take advantage of the 2-4-1 deal of which we're so fond. We saw 2012. It was a treat to watch things blow up on the big screen. You can't really be bothered by the implausibility of it all with disaster films, but there were a few plot moments that made me roll my eyes. All in all though, I'm a huge "end-of-the-world" film fan. Courtney made a delicious peanut stir fry before the film that reminded me of great food in Amsterdam. After returning home from the film, Tory and I shared a glass of wine and caught up (I feel like I haven't been home much this week). We looked through old MAIPR photos from Warwick and summer school and I couldn't help much feel a first pang of nostalgia for the crazy, zany program and its students which I will be saying goodbye to in four weeks. The reality is starting to set in, and it's going to hard to say goodbye to the sixteen months of brilliant uncertainty that has been my European adventure.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Congrats to my fellow blogger Miss Emily Hyland Hincks on the 136 chapters of her captivating adventures in France and beyond.
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